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Scientific results

Factual information about the FABER-AMBRA®-process
for mechanical-biological waste treatment

by Dirk Maak
Wilhelm Faber GmbH, Alzey

1. Introduction

For some years now, the Faber company has been operating a system for mechanical-biological waste treatment. The results collected in this practical operation are extremely positive and show the high level of environmental protection achieved through application of the FABER-AMBRA®-process. The sediment parameters planned for the TASi amendment have been achieved without exceptions and some fall well below requirements. For more detailed information, we describe below the results achieved with this process operating in the district of Bad Kreuznach, Germany.

2. Technical bases

If one assumes that during the biological treatment an aerobic-cell treatment is to take place, then the often used interpretation "extensive or intensive process " is technically incorrect. The intensity of the biological decomposing process is not controlled by the type of the technical ventilation or irrigation. For micro-biological waste reduction it is crucial that the appropriate environmental conditions (i.e. sufficient oxygen and sufficient water) are provided. This is guaranteed with the FABER-AMBRA®-process by the patented structure of the rotting heaps. Once the appropriate environmental conditions exist, different targets can be achieved depending on the treatment duration.

3. Treatment targets

The FABER-AMBRA®-process ensures treatment duration of 1 year and longer if required. Given this rotting duration, the sediment characteristics, as given in Appendix B of the TASi, can safely be maintained. This also applies to the TOC in the Eluat of 100 mg/l. The corresponding details of the TOC in the Eluat are represented in Fig. 1. LAHL (1998) deals with raising the parameters for solid matter in Fig. 1 of the TASi together with the TOC in the Eluat, to a limit of 300 mg/l.


Fig. 1: Eluate parameter of the wastes treated with the FABER-AMBRA® process

 

According to the waste examination by LAHL (1998) after a 16-week treatment at the MBA Lüneburg the value had not fallen below 300 mg TOC/l. The meaning of the TOC parameter in the Eluat is emphasised by LAHL (1998) as follows: "The hypothesis that the TOC in the Eluat at the MBA-output consists mainly of (unproblematic) humic matter could not be confirmed by the analyses which were carried out. The humic matter became a dominating part in the whole of the Eluat but only after a relatively long and controlled intensive rotting duration (16 weeks). The single potential in the waste residual is not unproblematic due to toxicological contamination. Therefore a flat increase in the value of the TA Siedlungsabfall (household waste) (to 200 or 300 mg TOC/l) cannot be agreed to in this form." COLLINS/MAAK (1999) share LAHL's view, particularly since the use of the FABER-AMBRA®-process makes a technology available that can maintain this limit with low costs. Further information on Eluat parameters may be viewed in Table 1 and are also represented in the reference (COLLINS et al. 1998). By changing the TA Siedlungsabfall new parameters for evaluation of sedimentation ability for mechanical-biological treated waste can be introduced.


Tab. 1: Results of the eluate-investigation of the waste treated with the FABER-AMBRA® process

Substance TASi Appendix B Rotting Duration
Dep.-Class I Dep.-Class II 3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months
pH-Wert [-] 5,5-13 5,5-13 7,1 7,9 7,6 7,5
LF [µmS/cm] ≤ 10.000 ≤ 50.000 2.308 1.955 1.552 1.510
TOC [mg/l] ≤ 20 ≤ 100 328 174 128 80,0
Phenole [mg/l] ≤ 0,2 ≤ 50 k.A. k.A. k.A. k.A.
Arsen [mg/l] ≤ 0,2 ≤ 0,5 < 0,025 < 0,025 < 0,025 -
Blei [mg/l] ≤ 0,2 ≤ 1,0 < 0,1 < 0,1 < 0,1 < 0,1
Cadmium [mg/l] ≤ 0,05 ≤ 0,1 < 0,0015 < 0,0015 < 0,1 < 0,1
Chrom VI [mg/l] ≤ 0,05 ≤ 0,1 k.A. k.A. k.A. -
Kupfer [mg/l] ≤ 1,0 ≤ 5,0 0,1 0,1 0,21 0,12
Nickel [mg/l] ≤ 0,2 ≤ 1,0 0,1 < 0,1 < 0,1 < 0,1
Quecksilber [mg/l] ≤ 0,005 ≤ 0,02 k.A. k.A. k.A. k.A.
Zink [mg/l] ≤ 2,0 ≤ 5,0 0,33 0,36 0,58 0,1
Fluorid [mg/l] ≤ 5,0 ≤ 25 k.A. k.A. k.A. k.A.
NHs4-N [mg/l] ≤ 4,0 ≤ 200 27,9 9,8 3,71 < 1
Cyanide [mg/l] ≤ 0,1 ≤ 0,5 k.A. k.A. k.A. k.A.
AOX [mg/l] ≤ 0,3 ≤ 1,5 0,28 0,19 0,18 0,12

 

These parameters represent the breathing activity (AT4) and the gas formation rate (GB21). It is intended to lay down limits of 5 mg 02/kg TS for parameter AT4 and a limit of 20 l/kg for the gas formation rate. In Fig. 2, the values for the breathing activity achieved with the FABER-AMBRA®-process are represented for a rotting duration of 9 and 13 months. It is shown that by using this process the values clearly fall below the requirements.


Fig. 2: Respiration activity of the wastes treated with the FABER-AMBRA® process

 

The same statement as above applies to the gas formation rate. Fig. 3 represents the established gas formation rates for waste treated with the FABER-AMBRA®-process. The values clearly fall below the requirements after a rotting duration of only 6 months. Fig. 3 represents the gas formation rate during a course of more than 21 days. The increase in the bottom line indicates that after treatment duration of 6 months the potential for substantial gas formation still exists. Following an extensive inert period over a rotting duration of 13 months, it is shown that the gas formation rate was clearly reduced again with the FABER-AMBRA®-process, and decreased to a level less than 1 l/kg TS. For this material there is no increase in the bottom line for the period of 20 days.


Fig. 3: Gas production of the wastes treated with the FABER-AMBRA® process

 

The results of these laboratory tests prove that by using the FABER-AMBRA®-process a biologically inert material is produced that achieves the basic targets of the TASi, No. 10.1. For evaluation of the sediment characteristics the produced water seepage from the waste material is a crucial criterion. Table 2 shows, for some important parameters, the established concentration of the materials contained in the water seepage from this dump. The values show that by using the FABER-AMBRA®-process a material was produced from this dump's water seepage that has permanently lowered the BSB5 to a value of 5 mg/l. The CSB varies between 600 and 1200 mg/l. With these presented values it is clearly proven that the FABER-AMBRA®-process produces a material that ensures sediment with low emission after treatment.

 

Tab. 2: Minimum and maximum concentrations at various parameters from the water seepage of the mechanically and biologically treated and highly compressed waste at the Meisenheim plant ( COLLINS et al, 1998, added)

Parameter RAVV1) Minimum Maximum
pH-Wert [-]   6,4 8,0
LF [µmS/cm]   4580 12110
Redox [mV]   +244 +518
O2 [mg/l]   1,2 9,1
CI [mg/l]   808 2623
CSB [mg/l] 200 414 1200
BSB5 [mg/l] 20 < 3 < 5
Fe [mg/l]   0,6 126
Cd [mg/l] 0,1 < 0,1 < 0,1
Pb [mg/l] 0,5 < 0,1 0,66
Cu [mg/l] 0,5 0,1 0,58
Zn [mg/l] 2 0,1 1,1
Ni [mg/l] 0,5 0,1 0,1
Ca [mg/l]   233 958
Na [mg/l]   < 0,1 1606
NHs4-N [mg/l] 50 < 0,1 132
NO3-N   274 2914
AOX [µmg/l] 0,5 0,3 1,38

1)RAVV: RahmenAbwasserVerwaltungsvorschrift (1996), (German law for discharging sewage into the main canal)

 

In the context of a total ecological view it should be noted that with the FABER-AMBRA®- process no other energy need be used for the ventilation of the waste. The process can be carried out at any location. From a total ecological viewpoint, some very substantial advantages result from this process because the consumption of primary energy to ventilate and transport the waste is completely avoided.

4. Conclusion

The long-standing industrial operation by the Faber Recycling GmbH, a MBA in the Bad Kreuznach district, which uses the FABER-AMBRA®-process, showed very positive operating results. The Eluat requirements as shown in Appendix B of the TASi have been achieved. The values of GB21 and AT4, recommended for modification in the TASi, are clearly below the requirements. The water seepage from the waste area is organically very weak and meeting the requirements of German law, can in many parameters be discharged into the main sewage canal without cleaning.

Literatur

COLLINS, H.-J.MAAK, D.1997 MBA Meisenheim, Landkreis Bad Kreuznach; Beiheft zu Müll und WASTE, Heft 33, S. 123 - 127, Erich-Schmidt-Verlag
COLLINS, H.-J.MAAK, D.1999 Fakten über das Kaminzug-VerfahrenSchriftenreihe des Arbeitskreises für die Nutzbarmachung von Siedlungsabfällen e.V., Heft 39, ISSN 0176-1870
COLLINS, H.-J.MAAK, D.REIFF, C.1998 Das KAMINZUG-Verfahren als entscheidende Aktivität einer stoffstromspezifischen WASTEbehandlung, in WIEMER/KERN, 1998
COLLINS, H.-J.,BRAMMER, F.MAAK, D., 1998 Ergebnisse der mechanisch-biologischen WASTEbehandlung bei mehrjährigem Praxisbetrieb; Entsorgungpraxis Heft 4/98, S. 26 - 29 und Heft 5/98, S. 36 - S. 41, Bertelsmannverlag, ISSN 0724-6870
LAHL, U.ZESCMAR-LAHL, B.1998 TOC-Grenzwerte (Eluat) für das nachsorgearme Deponieren von Restabfällen, Korrespondenz Abwasser 1998, Jahrgang 47, Nr. 7, S. 1321 - 1329

 

5. Projects

Extract of documentation "Pilot project of mechanical-biological treatment of waste in Brazil":

Pages in PDF-format:

Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.150
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.151
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.152
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.153
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.154
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.155
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.156
Infoservice (PDF) - Document S.157

 

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